Eric Maddox

Eric Maddox

Keynote Speaker: Author, Legion of Merit Recipient, Ex-Interrogator

Eric Maddox Biography

Eric Maddox is an author, keynote speaker, consultant, and negotiator who educates audiences globally on the art of empathy-based listening. He is the author of the book "Mission: Black List No.1," which recounts his role in the search and capture of Saddam Hussein.

After earning his degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1994, Maddox enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, a jumpmaster, and a graduate of Ranger School. He reenlisted in 1997 as a Chinese Mandarin linguist and interrogator. In 2003, he was deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, where he joined a Delta Force team tasked with locating high-value targets on the infamous Deck of Cards. After five months and over 300 interrogations, Maddox pinpointed the location of Saddam Hussein, leading to the dictator's capture. His exceptional work in intelligence collection notably shaped future methods both for the military and civilian sectors globally, earning him the Legion of Merit, the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement, the Defense Intelligence Agency Director's Award, and the Bronze Star.

Following the capture of Saddam, Maddox transitioned to a civilian role as the first-ever civilian interrogator for the Defense Intelligence Agency, conducting over 2,700 interrogations with prisoners from 25 different countries. Concluding a 20-year career with the U.S. Army and Defense Intelligence Agency, Maddox now focuses entirely on imparting the skills he honed during his service. His keynote speaker programs cover crucial topics like empathy-based listening, perseverance, leadership, innovation, change, and growth. He emphasizes how empathy-based listening not only builds trust and influence in all spheres of life but also has the power to transform customer relationships and leadership dynamics. Maddox's methods, proven effective in both business and battlefield contexts, inspire organizations to embrace risk and achieve unprecedented success. Through his speaking engagements, he continues to demonstrate the universal applicability and benefits of empathy-based listening, making significant impacts on both personal and professional levels.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Eric Maddox and other top speakers and celebrities.

Eric Maddox Speaking Topics

Winning Through Empathy Based Listening

Other Keynote Topics

  • Empathy based listening
  • Innovation
  • Leadership and influence
  • Perseverance
  • Culture change
  • Teamwork
  • Better decision making
  • Becoming a change agent
  • Adapting to a changing industry

"What’s Your Ace of Spades?”

Eric Maddox is more than a storyteller — as a keynote speaker, he becomes a mentor and guide, drawing insightful lessons from his war time stories that can be applied to different situations. In his experiences, empathy-based listening has drawn people closer to their goals, no matter what they may be. He believes that this active form of listening gains the trust of the people you interact with every day. It is, in his words, the number one tool for expanding your influence in all areas of life. As one of the most sought-after event speakers, Eric Maddox shares how you can use this powerful technique to turn customers to advocates, bosses to leaders, and followers to active contributors in a team. Each moment of Eric’s story draws parallels to the way business intelligence is gathered and the necessity of innovation in an ever-changing landscape. The methods and techniques are as relevant in the boardroom as they are on the battlefield. They are proven methods of success up and down the command structure. Eric Maddox and his story will inspire your organization to take action and risks for growth and unprecedented success.

Unforgettable Events That Inspire Change

An Eric Maddox keynote is an entertainment event people will remember for years…and you’ll be remembered as a hero for booking him!

Eric Maddox is a life changing presentation. Audience members will leave with a deep process for how to use empathy based listening to change their lives. No other military speaker delivers empathy based listening as a life-changing tool that people can implement and see immediate results.

Battle Tested Tools

Eric Maddox delivers not only a compelling and entertaining story about communication, but a battle tested tool that audience members can use every day to get better outcomes in their own negotiations. That tool is empathy based listening, and it’s the number one way to gain trust and maximize influence.

With trust, clients and customers turn into champions and advocates. With influence, leaders are more effective. As Eric teaches through example, there is no greater tool than empathy based listening to improve every area of life—professional and personal. No other military speaker delivers empathy based listening as a life-changing tool that audience members can implement and see immediate results.

Eric Maddox Videos

Eric Maddox, Author, Speaker, and former US Army Interrogator
Eric Maddox - Liberty University Convocation
Unbiased Listening with Eric Maddox

How do I book Eric Maddox to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Eric Maddox for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Eric Maddox, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Eric Maddox or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Eric Maddox for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Eric Maddox, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Eric Maddox are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Eric Maddox, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Eric Maddox speak about?

Eric Maddox is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Military, Veterans, Business Leadership, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Leadership, Virtual, Innovation, Change Management, Authors and Ethics & Integrity.

Where does Eric Maddox travel from?

Eric Maddox generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Eric Maddox?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Eric Maddox for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Eric Maddox for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Eric Maddox or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Eric Maddox is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Military, Veterans and Business Leadership. The estimated speaking fee range to book Eric Maddox for live events is $30,000 - $50,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Eric Maddox generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jason Redman, Ed Hiner and Karen Baetzel. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Eric Maddox for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 04/11/2024.

Eric Maddox Speaking Topics

  • Winning Through Empathy Based Listening

  • Other Keynote Topics

    • Empathy based listening
    • Innovation
    • Leadership and influence
    • Perseverance
    • Culture change
    • Teamwork
    • Better decision making
    • Becoming a change agent
    • Adapting to a changing industry

  • "What’s Your Ace of Spades?”

    Eric Maddox is more than a storyteller — as a keynote speaker, he becomes a mentor and guide, drawing insightful lessons from his war time stories that can be applied to different situations. In his experiences, empathy-based listening has drawn people closer to their goals, no matter what they may be. He believes that this active form of listening gains the trust of the people you interact with every day. It is, in his words, the number one tool for expanding your influence in all areas of life. As one of the most sought-after event speakers, Eric Maddox shares how you can use this powerful technique to turn customers to advocates, bosses to leaders, and followers to active contributors in a team. Each moment of Eric’s story draws parallels to the way business intelligence is gathered and the necessity of innovation in an ever-changing landscape. The methods and techniques are as relevant in the boardroom as they are on the battlefield. They are proven methods of success up and down the command structure. Eric Maddox and his story will inspire your organization to take action and risks for growth and unprecedented success.

  • Unforgettable Events That Inspire Change

    An Eric Maddox keynote is an entertainment event people will remember for years…and you’ll be remembered as a hero for booking him!

    Eric Maddox is a life changing presentation. Audience members will leave with a deep process for how to use empathy based listening to change their lives. No other military speaker delivers empathy based listening as a life-changing tool that people can implement and see immediate results.

  • Battle Tested Tools

    Eric Maddox delivers not only a compelling and entertaining story about communication, but a battle tested tool that audience members can use every day to get better outcomes in their own negotiations. That tool is empathy based listening, and it’s the number one way to gain trust and maximize influence.

    With trust, clients and customers turn into champions and advocates. With influence, leaders are more effective. As Eric teaches through example, there is no greater tool than empathy based listening to improve every area of life—professional and personal. No other military speaker delivers empathy based listening as a life-changing tool that audience members can implement and see immediate results.

Eric Maddox Videos

Eric Maddox, Author, Speaker, and former US Army Interrogator
Eric Maddox - Liberty University Convocation
Unbiased Listening with Eric Maddox
Eric Maddox Speaks about Intelligence and the Hunt for Saddam Hussein

Eric Maddox News

  • How do I book Eric Maddox to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Eric Maddox for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Eric Maddox, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Eric Maddox or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Eric Maddox for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Eric Maddox, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Eric Maddox are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Eric Maddox, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Eric Maddox speak about?

    Eric Maddox is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Military, Veterans, Business Leadership, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Leadership, Virtual, Innovation, Change Management, Authors and Ethics & Integrity.
  • Where does Eric Maddox travel from?

    Eric Maddox generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Eric Maddox?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Eric Maddox for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Eric Maddox for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Eric Maddox or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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